BRPD investigating fatal BR shooting

BRPD investigating fatal BR shooting

Victim’s mother loses second son in nine years

A 25-year-old man described by family members as happy-go-lucky and always in good spirits was gunned down Wednesday in front of apartment buildings on North Sherwood Forest Boulevard, leaving a mother preparing to bury her second son in nine years.

Police Cpl. Tommy Stubbs said officers were patrolling in the area when they heard gunshots shortly after 11 a.m. behind businesses on North Sherwood Forest.

They found Carter’s body in front of Building 2 of the apartment complex at 2150 N. Sherwood Forest Blvd., known as “The Cut.”

“The good thing was we were on top of it,” Stubbs said. “This wasn’t called into BRPD dispatch. Officers heard the shots, responded and discovered the body. Because of that, because of our proactive work, we are out currently looking for suspects.”

Stubbs said police did not have a motive and refused to give details about the shooting.

The police Special Response Team and helicopter were also called in to help with the investigation.

Dr. Beau Clark, East Baton Rouge Parish coroner, said the autopsy is scheduled for Friday.

At the apartment complex Wednesday, family and friends struggled to cope with the fact that Carter, nicknamed “Big Red,” is gone.

Myles said police told the family Carter was shot 10 times and they had a witness.

Myles said Brandon Carter’s older brother, Quentin Carter, was shot and killed Aug. 16, 2004 and Brandon was shot in the head a week later and survived.

Brandon Dontah Coleman was arrested in Quentin Carter’s shooting, but the charges were later dismissed.

Brandon Carter’s mother, Hattie Carter, was the last family member to see him alive when he left her home to go to the store.

While police were investigating the shooting, officers placed a man standing across Stan Avenue by a market and deli in handcuffs, but only said they wanted to talk to him.

Alfred Brock works at Sweet Creations Bakery in the row of office buildings in front of the apartment complex and said it is known as a violent area.

“It’s a well-known place to get robbed and killed,” he said.

Brock said he heard eight shots at 11 a.m.

Two doors down, Angelique Lewis, manager of K&L Market Plus, also said she heard seven or eight shots.

Wednesday’s homicide is the sixth homicide in Baton Rouge in June and the fifth in four days, according to homicide statistics compiled by the Advocate.

According to crime statistics on the Police Department’s website, the apartment complex lies in subzone 2 in zone D of District 3.

In 2012, Baton Rouge police responded to five homicides, 109 burglaries and 48 robberies in the subzone.

The Police Department responded to 68 homicides in 2012.

By comparison, the neighboring subzone, subzone 1 in zone D of District 3, had three homicides, 86 burglaries and 19 robberies.

“In that small area surrounding the apartment complex, we do get a lot of dispatch calls,” police Cpl. L’Jean McKneely said. “We do have proactive patrols in that area. That is why those guys were in that area to hear the shots.”

Anyone with any information on this shooting is urged to contact the East Baton Rouge Violent Crimes Unit at (225) 389-4869 or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.